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In 2023, as geopolitical tensions continue to intensify, the global economy continues to be impacted. Although it shows signs of recovery, it remains weak overall. Under this circumstance, affected by factors such as slowing overseas demand and tightening regulatory policies, the cross-border e-commerce market is unpredictable. Not only are cross-border sellers experiencing a dark time, but cross-border logistics companies are also suffering. It is learned that on December 14, Shenzhen Yunchuang International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Yunchuang") issued a closure announcement: Affected by the huge impact of external conditions and internal capital turnover factors, the company has been unable to obtain financial support and reverse the business predicament after making various efforts, and decided to close down on December 14, 2023. According to the announcement, Yunchuang was forced to close down for the following reasons: 1. The containers in shipping and railway channels were detained, resulting in a number of high losses, a serious decline in business volume, and a heavy operating burden; 2. A large amount of accounts receivable were not paid by customers , resulting in the company's lack of normal capital flow. Among them, peer customers such as "Zhishang, Guoren, and Yaohong" owed more than 5 million yuan in freight ; 3. In order to ensure the company's continued operation, Yunchuang took measures such as reducing office and labor costs, but these measures backfired and instead caused a total loss of more than 1.4 million yuan. ▲ The picture comes from the seller’s disclosure It can be seen that Yunchuang is different from previous logistics companies that have gone bankrupt. In addition to the problem of container detention during customs clearance, the large amount of accounts receivable owed by peer customers is the main reason for the company's broken capital chain. To this end, Yunchuang further stated in the announcement that in order to ensure that the goods currently in transit can complete customs clearance and delivery, the company urges the units and individuals who owe freight to pay the overdue freight during the closure period in accordance with the law, so that the company can fulfill its responsibilities and obligations during the closure period. In addition, it is worth noting that Yunchuang also mentioned its arrangements for employees in the announcement: during the closing period, it will first guarantee employees' wages and compensation. Therefore, when the news spread in the cross-border circle, many people in the industry lamented that Yunchuang was a very responsible logistics company, but it is now closing down due to receivables issues, which is inevitably regrettable. However, some sellers pointed out that behind the closure of Yunchuang, the essence is that after the dividend tide of the e-commerce industry has receded, the logistics industry is starting a new round of elimination. Not only are domestic cross-border logistics companies facing a retrograde situation, but foreign freight companies in the middle are also unable to escape from this siege. In the past few years, the large-scale outbreak of the epidemic has led to a surge in online shopping and an increase in freight volume. The logistics industry has entered an unprecedented era of high growth, and the number of entrants into the global logistics industry has soared day by day. However, as the e-commerce dividends caused by the epidemic faded, coupled with the dramatic changes in the world economic and trade landscape, inflation has devoured the wallets of overseas consumers. In recent years, consumer demand has continued to be sluggish, and freight demand has declined accordingly . The global container shipping market has ushered in a cold wave, and many logistics companies have begun to shrink their production capacity to maintain their competitiveness. Flexport, a world-renowned freight forwarding company, has made two major layoffs this year: more than 650 employees were laid off in January, accounting for about 20% of the employees at the time; and in October, it announced another 20% layoff, affecting about 700 employees. Flexport said that the layoffs were to cope with the decline in freight demand and would help the company return to profitability . In early December, European logistics giant DPD also announced that it would lay off 1,400 employees , equivalent to one-seventh of its total workforce. DHL said that in the face of intensified market competition, DPD needs to adopt strategies such as layoffs and business adjustments to maintain its competitiveness and business flexibility. It can be seen from the above that due to factors such as the sharp drop in freight demand and intensified market competition, the supply and demand balance in the container shipping market is still not ideal at this stage . Oversupply and demand for goods everywhere have become common phenomena, and many logistics companies at home and abroad have suffered huge blows as a result. However, industry insiders pointed out that this is an inevitable process for the logistics industry to reshuffle after the e-commerce market returns to rational growth. Nowadays, after the wild growth carnival stage, the cross-border e-commerce industry is returning to rationality, and freight forwarding, as an industry closely related to it, is also experiencing multiple rounds of reshuffles from insufficient supply to oversupply. In the long run, freight forwarding companies with low business capabilities and weak risk resistance in the past will be eliminated faster, leaving only freight forwarding companies with sufficient funds and strong risk resistance . However, for now, freight forwarding is still an industry with mixed quality, and chaos in the cross-border freight forwarding circle is frequent. Here we remind all sellers that when choosing cross-border logistics channels, they still need to be vigilant to avoid heavy losses. What do you think about this? Welcome to discuss in the comment area~
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